Preparing Social Workers for Evidence-Informed Community-Based Practice: An Integrative Framework

Abstract

ABSTRACTSocial workers have an ethical obligation to the consumers and communities they serve to draw on practice-relevant research evidence in planning and executing interventions. A model for using evidence in social work practice is proposed, which rests on a foundation of competence in the common factors of helping relationships. The model integrates the use of evidenced-informed resources in executing a treatment plan created through a modified evidence-based practice process. This practice framework is presented, followed by a discussion of how relevant training can be incorporated into generalist and specialist educational curricula while fulfilling requirements of the Council on Social Work Education accreditation standards.